


Guilt Trip

by detectivejigsaw



Series: Twangst Stories [29]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Bill Cipher is a Jerk, Gen, Guilty Ford Pines, He gets better, Hurt/Comfort (sort of), Nightmare, Not cool Ford, Reference to Stanchurian Candidate, References to Torture, Sea Grunks, Some physical and psychological torture, Stan just wants to get some sleep, drabble-ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:28:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26403472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/detectivejigsaw/pseuds/detectivejigsaw
Summary: One night on the Stan O'War 2, Ford has a vivid nightmare about Bill, and dealing with old guilts.Based on conversations I had with marehami and a few other people via Discord; just a kind of drabble I wanted to get out there.
Relationships: Ford Pines & Stan Pines
Series: Twangst Stories [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1323026
Comments: 16
Kudos: 90





	Guilt Trip

_Another 500 volts of electricity sent Ford thrashing and screaming, as much as he was capable with the chains that bound him in place._

_When it finally ended, he sagged and tried to regain his control, even though by now that was probably a long-lost battle._

**_“You know, IQ, sooner or later you’re gonna have to give in,”_ ** _Bill purred. One tiny black finger reached out and stroked his cheek, pretending to be affectionate. He tried to pull away, but the arm just stretched to stay in place._ **_“I mean, you can’t keep up this self-righteous act forever!”_ **

_“...Watch me,” Ford whispered. He spat at Bill’s feet, not caring that there was a worrying amount of red mixed in with the saliva. “If it means protecting my world from you, I think I can handle it for as long as it takes!”_

**_“Oh,_ ** **please** **_.”_ ** _Bill rolled his eye._ **_“You’re seriously trying to act like you’re some kind of hero, after everything_ ** **you’ve** **_done? Face it, boy, you’re no better than me.”_ **

_“What?!” Ford finally jerked his head back up, in a mixture of shock and outrage. “I’m_ nothing _like you!”_

 _Bill cackled, and leaned on his cane._ **_“Y’know, it’s funny how often people say that about the people who they’ve got the most in common with. Take, for example, this!”_ ** _He waved his hand, and a glowing blue light appeared in it; after a second it rearranged its shape into the form of-a striped necktie._

_Ford recognized it immediately; his heart sank._

**_“Remember how much it freaked you out to have me using you as my meat puppet?”_ ** _Bill asked, pulling the tie open and then draping it over Ford’s head. Once it was around his neck, he cinched it tight, making spots flicker in front of the old man's eyes as his air was cut off._ **_“But then you let your niece and nephew do just that to your own brother! Yeesh, that’s just_ ** **cold** **_! You didn’t even do your_ ** **own** **_dirty work, you got_ ** **kids** **_to do it for you! I’m honestly impressed!”_ **

_“I-I didn’t-”_

_Bill wasn’t done._

**_“And then, when you decided Pinetree was just a mini you, you were gonna try to kick everyone else out of his life so you could have him all to yourself, and get him to do your bidding! Sound familiar?”_ **

_...Ford couldn’t even try to defend himself._

**_“In a way, Stanford, you’re an even bigger monster than I am!”_ ** _Bill ruffled his hair, which sent a small static shock through his arm; he just seemed amused by it._ **_“At least people_ ** **know** **_not to trust me!_ ** **You** **_actually con other people into thinking you’re a semi-decent person on a regular basis!”_ ** _The walls of the Fearamid shook with his laughter._

_“...But I’ve changed!” Ford looked up a little desperately. “I’m a better man than I used to be! I’m a better brother and uncle than I’ve ever been!”_

**_“...Right. You say that now, but I wonder what’s gonna happen the next time Stanley does something that makes you mad?”_ ** _Bill tilted to the side and rubbed the spot under his eye thoughtfully._ **_“You gonna give him time to pack his bags, or are you just gonna throw him out on his ear as soon as you reach a port?”_ **

_“I’m_ not _going to throw him out! Not ever again!” Ford’s dignity crumpled, and he struggled against his chains, snarling at the triangle. “I’m not like that anymore! I never will be! NEVER!”_

...He realized, when his eyes flew open, that sometimes the stereotype about waking up in a cold sweat could be quite true.

* * *

For a minute all Ford could do was lie in his bunk, taking deep breaths in an effort to make his heart stop racing. Finally, though, he pulled his glasses on, and sat up until he was facing his twin’s bunk.

“Stanley?” he whispered.

No response; the lump in the blankets didn’t even stir.

“Stanley?” he called, a little louder.

That was enough to make him twist around, and a second later sleepy brown eyes fluttered open.

“...Wha…?”

“You know I’m sorry for giving the children a mind control tie to use on you, right?”

Stan blinked, slowly.

“I never should have done that to you, no matter what our relationship was like at the time. I know it was unforgivable of me, and I swear I will never do anything like that again. And I will never try to kick you off this boat either.”

“...Considering it was technically bought with my money, it’s not like you’ve even got the right to.” Stan rubbed some grit out of his eyes with his thumb.

“Nevertheless, I’m sorry for my behavior.” Ford was embarrassed to feel moisture building in his own eyes, and blinked hard to try to get rid of it.

Stan squinted at him through the darkness for a minute...and then nodded. “Apology accepted. Now go away so I can go back to sleep.”

The casual, somewhat annoyed, forgiveness was enough to make Ford smile around the lump rising in his throat.

Stan just burrowed back down into the blankets. “I swear, you keep me up more than the kids ever did. Even when Mabel was havin’ one of those crazy sleepovers.” The last part partially trailed off in a yawn.

Ford swallowed, and said hoarsely, “I wasted forty years not driving you crazy like I was supposed to; I’m just trying to make up for it now.”

“Well, drive me crazy during waking hours so I can appreciate it better.”

Despite the grumpy words, he smiled a little when he felt a six-fingered hand gently ruffle his hair, and then the blankets getting tucked more securely around him.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry, it's not Bill come back from the dead; it's just Ford's own subconscious messing with him.
> 
> Probably.


End file.
